Claiming Felicity (Ace Security #4)(48)

He should be worried about Joseph and what might be waiting for them when they got back to Castle Rock, but he couldn’t. Tonight he’d make Felicity Jones his in every way. Nothing could ruin his good mood.





Chapter Fourteen

He’d been wrong. Joseph Waters could ruin his good mood. Ryder had pulled around the back of the gym and parked next to Felicity’s PT Cruiser. The white envelope under her windshield wiper shone like a beacon.

He managed to get out of his car and to the envelope before Felicity. He gingerly picked it up using a corner of his shirt so as not to disturb any trace evidence or fingerprints that might be on it, and peeked inside.

His heart stopped beating for a moment, before starting up again twice as fast as before.

The drive up from Colorado Springs had been intimate and pleasurable. Felicity had been relaxed and flirty. They’d talked about nothing deep for the entire trip. No talk of killing anyone. No talk of Joseph Waters or his father. She’d told him more stories about her mom, and he’d reciprocated. It was . . . normal. And he’d liked it.

But now he was looking into an envelope at the contents he knew, knew, would upset Felicity. Possibly even make her revert back to the scared, ready-to-bolt headspace she’d been in when he’d first met her.

“What is it?” Her voice didn’t waver, but the lightness that had been in it for the last couple of hours was gone.

“You don’t need to see this,” Ryder told her, closing the envelope and pulling out his phone. He needed to call the cops. Continuing to report Joseph’s crazy wouldn’t make him stop, but when Ryder killed him, it would assist in making sure it was a clear case of self-defense.

Felicity put a hand on his arm. Her hand was warm on his skin, and he raised his head to look her in the eyes.

“Every time I’ve received one of his ‘gifts,’ I’ve been alone. I didn’t have anyone to lean on. I’m not super thrilled to see what he’s done this time, but it’s not like we didn’t expect it. I know you’re upset, but maybe I can figure out what he’s planning by seeing whatever he left. He loves to taunt me.” She shrugged. “It’s what he does.”

Ryder ground his teeth together and tried to come up with a reason she shouldn’t see what was in the envelope. She didn’t give him a chance.

“Please, Ryder. Whatever’s in there isn’t going to change our plans for the night. I’m not letting him get to me anymore. We’ll deal with this shit, then go upstairs and climb in my bed, just like we’ve done every night in the last week. Except this time, I’m going to get to do all the things I’ve dreamed about doing to you since the moment I saw you.”

Without a word, Ryder palmed the back of her head and brought her face to his. He kissed her as if he needed her to breathe. And it felt like he did. He’d never wanted a woman as badly as he wanted Felicity Jones.

He drew back way before he was ready and sighed. He brought her into his side, prepared for any kind of reaction she might have, and held the envelope open so she could see what was inside.

It was a stack of pictures. Only the one on top could be seen, but it was enough. It was a photo, taken with a high-quality zoom lens, of Joel and two other boys walking along a path. The date stamp on the photo was from today.

Felicity inhaled deeply, and her lips pressed together hard enough for Ryder to see them turn white with the pressure. But she simply looked up and said, “Hand me your phone, and I’ll call the police to report it. It’ll be better coming from me. It’s my car the envelope was left on.”

Kissing the side of her temple, Ryder handed over his phone. Inwardly he sighed in relief. Felicity was holding it together. Oh, he had no doubt she’d have a reaction later, but for now, she wasn’t freaking. Wasn’t bolting for her car to ride out of town. It was enough.



Joseph Waters watched from his rented sedan a couple of parking lots over. He trained his binoculars on Megan’s, gleefully anticipating the look of horror and fear on her face when she realized what he’d left her. Having the fucking mercenary there with her was annoying, but it might make things more interesting. If he could fuck with someone close to Megan at the same time he fucked with her, all the better.

Joseph huffed out a laugh when he saw Ryder use the edge of his shirt to pick up the gift. As if he was stupid enough to leave his DNA or fingerprints behind. That was an amateur move. Megan would know the pictures were from him. The grin on his face grew when he saw how pissed off the mercenary was when he looked inside the envelope.

But his grin faded when he watched Megan’s reaction. Or nonreaction, as it were. Clenching his fingers around the binoculars, Joseph could hardly believe it when she didn’t cry. Didn’t look around in fear, wondering if he was watching.

She merely put out her hand and raised the phone Ryder gave her to her ear.

Bitch. Fucking bitch.

You don’t think I’ll do it, do you?

Dropping the binoculars, Joseph gripped the steering wheel with all his strength. His mind raced with all the things he wanted to do to Megan. To show her exactly how it felt when someone fucked with your life . . . just as she’d done to him all those years ago.

Taking a deep breath to calm himself, Joseph’s mind whirled with the possibilities. He’d play with her for another week or so, then he’d make his move. He just needed to wait for the perfect time to strike.